A German rail commuter recorded each day’s travel by knitting a scarf.
Claudia Weber spent the last year knitting a scarf—two rows a day with different colors reflecting the severity of delays on her rail trips to and from Munich. "The resulting four-foot 'Bahn-Verspätungsschal,' or 'rail delay scarf,' has become something of a social-media sensation," reports Palko Karasz. It eventually sold on eBay for about $8,650 with the money going to a German charity organization.
The scarf was a way for Weber to express her frustrations with Deutsche Bahn, the national rail operator. “In the spring, everything seemed fine, reflected in rows of gray and pink in the scarf. But then came the summer, represented by a wide band of red as the repairs got underway,” says Karasz.
While Germany has a reputation for efficient and reliable service, critics note that the quality of Deutsche Bahn’s performance has dropped in recent years. The country's infrastructure is also aging and showing the effects of low investments with problems at airports and on road and rail networks.
FULL STORY: Commuter Knits a ‘Rail Delay Scarf.’ It Fetches $8,650 on eBay.
Alternative Railroad Electrification
Rather than building costly overhead electrification infrastructure to convert a Chicago-area commuter rail line from polluting diesel power to emission-free electricity, the Metra Board of Directors chose a far less expensive and quicker route.
New Market-Rate Housing Lowers Rents for Everyone, According to New Research
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German Greens Want Domestic Air Travel to Be Obsolete by 2035
Alliance 90/The Greens, a political party in Germany, wants the country's domestic travel to shift completely to rail. Achieving that goal will require making air travel more expensive and rail travel cheaper and easier.
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The world is changing, and planning with it.
Chicago Red Line Extension Could Transform the South Side
The city’s transit agency is undertaking its biggest expansion ever to finally bring rail to the South Side.
How ‘Daylighting’ Intersections Can Save Lives
Eliminating visual obstructions can make intersections safer for all users.
Green Spaces Benefit Neighborhoods—When Residents can Reach Them
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Eugene Ends Parking Minimums
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Chicago Announces ‘Better Streets for Buses’ Plan
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
